Holder for cosmetics and the like



Oct. 9, 1951 c. G. Ross 2,570,596

HOLDER FOR COSMETICS AND THE LIKE Fi1ed July 11, 1946 111111111111111.rlpplalarz l IN VEN TOR.

PatentedI Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,57'62596 v HOLDER Fon oosME'rros A'DETHlit LdIKE Application July 11, 1946i Serial No. 682,746 In Great Britain November 12, 1945 vThis invention relates to holders for cosmetics same is used. Suchldevices have several Vdisadvantages among which are the inability to use the whole of thecosmetic material, the presence of a( metal edge capable of inicting a cut and that' th'e initial point on the forward end Vof the cosmeticstickisquickly Worn down to -a ilat ysurface and cannot be reformed without considerable waste Vof -matriaL The object ofthe present invention is to provide an improved holder for cosmetics which will enable the same to be used in `paste form, be applied by a device having an end which will retain its shape, and be used up almost to the vend so that the amount of waste is reduced to a negligible minimum.

A holder according to the present invention comprises broadly in combination a container for the cosmeticV having one end closed, a casing adapted to receive said container and means for removing the cosmetic from the container for lapplication by the user, said means consisting of a plunger or applicator having a stem which is insertable into the open end of. the container to contact the cosmetic paste and be smeared 4with a covering of the same for subsequent application by the user.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a container which may be supplied to the v.user already lled with cosmetic paste, said container being insertable in the casing of the cosmetic holder according to this invention and be movable longitudinally therein, so that the plunger or applicator end may maintain contact lwith the paste as it is used up, said container Vbeing adapted to react with the holder casing to resist ejection under normal pressure of the A'plunger or applicator. v

In order that the invention may clearly be understood and carried into elect the same will .now be described with the aid of the accom- Fig. 2 is an exploded view ofthe arrangement Vaccording to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1 but showing aholder having a casing of different shape.

Fig. 4 is anoutside view of the arrangement shown in Fig.' 3.

Fig. 5 is 'a section to an enlarged scale on the line 5 5 'ofA Fig. 3 showingone method of locking the plunger or applicator in the casing when not in use. f

Figs.` 6 and 7 show to an enlarged scale and partly in section, the preferred shape of the removable end of the plunger or applicator and also show alternativemethods of securing the removable end to the plunger orapplicator stem, and alternativemethod's of forming the surface of the said removable end to ensure suitable retention of the paste covering.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a container a made of'cheap transparent material sol that they colour of the cosmetic can be distinguished, is provided with a closed end to retain a charge of cosmetic paste.

The charged container -is inserted, closed end first,V into a tubular casing b, said casing being open at both ends so as to permit theentry of the container jat oneend and its projection throughV the other. T o prevent said container from passing completely through the casing, and to Aprevent its -accidenta1'ejection,- the bore Vof said casinglis reduced at one end to provide a. shoulder c-.which is engaged by a ange d surrounding the open end of the 'container a (see Figs. 1 and 3);

The cosmetic paste is removed from thereontainer as required and applied to the skin of the user by means-of a plunger or applicator, one

end of the stem of which or a separate piece fitted thereon is pointed or of conical shape to provide a means lforV applying the paste which willretain its shape after prolonged use, theopposite end of the plunger or applicator stem being provided with lockingmeans by Which'the plunger or applicator is retained in the casing when not in use.

In the drawing the pointed or conical shaped end of the plunger or applicator stem is shown at c and is made as a separate piece, of rubber or other suitable material, such end portion either being moulded in position on the stem of the plunger or applicator, or alternatively is removable therefrom for substitution by a replace- 4ment should wear occur or the same be damaged fing of paste. The plunger is' then removed from the casing and the l' shaped end, smeared `with. paste. is applied to the skin of the user.

As the paste in the container is used up the position of the container Within the casing is adjusted by pushing said container into the casing so that the shaped end e of the plunger or applicator stem is maintained in contact with the paste, and to permit the escape of air from the container during such operation the surface of such shaped -end is, for preference, provided with flutes or grooves g. Y

Thel surface of the shaped end e may however be roughened, or broken in any suitable manner to ensure that an adequate supply of paste will be collected and retained by said surface when the shaped end is pressed into contact with the paste. v r

i This can be effected as shown in ing said surface With a number of spiral grooves g or as shown in Fig. '7 by stippling the surface.

To enable practically the whole of one charge `to be used Without Waste the outer or closed end h 'Lof the container is made the same pointed or :conical shape as the end e of the plunger or applicator stem.

When not in use the plunger -retained within the casing by the provision of isuitable locking means and this locking means comprises, in the arrangement shown in Figs. l and 2, a threaded flange i formed on one end of Figl 6 by form- Y or applicator is the plunger or applicator stem, which is screwed 4into a correspondingly threaded portion lc in the rear end of the bore of the casing, theperiphery of said flange being knurled to assist the user to .screw up or unscrew the plunger or applicator.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the stem of the plunger or applicator is drilled to receive, in detachable engagement, an eye- @brow pencil l of conventional stick form, the said pencil being detachably mounted in a flange m Vwhich is provided with a thread n adapted to be screwed into a similarly threaded portion o formed in the outer end of the bore of the jplunger or applicator stem. t

The casing may be made of any suitable matefrial such as metal, or be moulded in a synthetic resinous substance andthe exterior shape of said .casing may be circular as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or square as shown in the modified Yarrangement ,in Figs. 3-5.

" Figs. 3-5 show also a modified form Yof locking means for retaining the plunger or applicator Within the casing, when not in use.

In this modified form the thread Within the casing bore and the thread von the plunger or applicator flange are dispensed with, the desired locking effect being obtained by causing projections Vformed on they surface of the bore of the -`casing to enter corresponding indentations or 4depressions formedI on the plain flange of the gstem.

As shown in the enlarged'view, Fig. 5, the upper Vend of the bore of the casing is formed with four 'equally spaced projections p the plain flange of fthe plunger or applicator being provided with an uequivalent number of similarly spaced depressions or indentations q.

As the projections p would prevent the plunger 'or applicator flange from entering the bore of the -casing, the plain surface of the said ange between each indentation is machined or moulded 'to provide the flat surfaces r.

, When no1'l in use, the plunger or applicator is inserted into the casing, as in the previous arrangement so that the flat surfaces r register with the prietisge 12 and, @109k .Said plunger@ applicator in position. the flange' 'is partially rotated so that the indentations q on the plunger flange are moved into engagement with the projections p.

The projections p can be utilized to prevent the container from falling freely out of the casing by causing said projections to be an interference fit with the flange d, in which case it will be necessary to press firmly on the open end of the container when assembling .the same in the casing so that the flange will pass the projection.

Fig. 6' shows to an enlarged scale the preferred shape of the shaped end of the plunger or applicator. Other shapes can of course be used such, for example, as the spherical shaped surface shown in Fig. 3 but it has been found that the shape shown in Fig. 6 has the advantage that the cosmetic paste can be applied more skillfully and Withgreater accuracy to the skin of the user.

The cosmetic paste can be supplied to the user in the usual form either in tubes or Wrapped, but it is preferred that the sameshould be supplied Valready charged into the container, so that the user can dispense with an emptied container and substitute forl the Vsame a refill, the refill containers thus supplied having their open end'closed by avlabel or cover which preferably bears an lidentification mark giving the' shade, quality and/or other particulars of the cosmetic paste contained therein. It is not necessary that the rell'cont'ainers shall all be tof one size as the holder ofthe present'invention when made to take the largest size rell is also capable of taking a refill of any ofthe smallersizes.

V- To prevent the shaped end e, when the same is ,made as a separate piece, from becoming accidentally detached from the plunger or applicator stem,.it is preferred that the same should be `Vk'e'yed or secured `in position by interlocking means, and this can be effected as shown in Fig. 6 by providing the end of the plunger or applicator lstem with circumferential grooves s'which engage with corresponding circumferential projections t formed in the interior of the recess in the shaped end e, or, as Yshown in Fig. 7, by providing the stem with an enlarged or mushroom shaped portion'u which engages with a similar shaped recess in the shaped end e;

' `The term cosmetic used in this specification isjintended to include other substances in paste 'form suitable for applicationY by themeans of the present invention, such'for example vas ointments and other similar medical preparations.

when" the container is in the fully extended posi- 'tion,'to prevent the complete withdrawal of the container from the other end of the casing, and

'rar-'rios'edV plunger or applicator for useV in removing paste fromy the container and applying the same to the skin of the user, said plungeror applicator being insertable through the one open end of the Vcasing intothe container withits nose contact- 'able with the, opposing face of the cosmetic paste .vvithin the container, said container Vbeing slid- 'ably'dis'placed Yinwards under pressure to cause the nose of the plunger or applicator'tobec'ome vvthrough .one open end of the casing and being slidable therethrough to a normally fully eX- tended position, and being adapted to be slidably displaced inwardly to telescope with said casing, stop means at the other end of the casing and the open end of lthe container which interengage when the container is in the normally fully extended position to prevent the .complete withdrawal of the container from the other end of the casing, a nosed plunger or applicator for use in removing paste from the container and applying the same to the skin of the user, said plunger or applicator being insertable through the one open end of the casing into the container with its nose contactable with the opposing face of the cosmetic paste within the container, said container being slidably displaced inwards under pressure to cause the nose of the plunger or applicator to become suitably embedded in the paste, the inward movement aforesaid of said container being progressively increased as the cosmetic paste is consumed until in the fully in` ward position of the container its closed end is contacted by the nose of the plunger or applicator thereby enabling the removal of paste from the bottom of the container, and locking means on said plunger and casing for retaining the plunger or applicator when not in use within the casing said locking means being arranged to form a closure for the one open end of the casing.

3. A holder for cosmetics according to claim 1 wherein the container is maintained by friction in relative adjusted positions with respect to the casing.

4. A holder for cosmetics according to claim 1 wherein the container is maintained in relative adjusted positions with respect to the casing by the frictional surface engagement between the greatest outside diameter of the body portion of said container and the least inside diameter of the casing.

5. A holder for cosmetics according to claim 2 wherein the locking means for retaining the plunger or applicator in the casing comprises a flange on the plunger or applicator and the inner peripheral surface at the one end of the casing, said flange having alternately spaced flat faces and depressions formed on the outer periphery thereof and said casing at the aforesaid inner surfaces thereof having peripherally spaced projections of less depth than those of the flat faces of the ange, said flat faces of the flange being normally caused to register with the projections on the aforesaid inner surfaces of the casing when the plunger or applicator is inserted in the casing, and said plunger or applicator being locked to the casing by partially rotating the plunger whereby the aforesaid depressions on the plunger or applicator engage the aforesaid projections on the casing.

6. A holder for cosmetics comprising in combination a casing open at both ends, a container for a cosmetic lpaste having open and closed ends, t

said container being insertable into the casing and being slidable therein, the' container being slidably displaced outwardly through the casing and inwardly to telescope with said casing, the respective outer diameters of the container and the inner diameter of the casing being so dimensioned to provide a frictional fit therebetween, means associated Awith the casing and the kcorrtainer which interengage when the container `is in the'fully extended position to prevent the sliding withdrawal of the container from one end of the casing, and a nosed plunger for use in removing paste from the container and applying the same to the skin of `the user, said plunger being insertable through one open end of ther casing into the container with its nose contactable with the opposing face of the cosmetic paste within the container, said container being slidably displaced inwards under pressure and against the friction of the cooperating surfaces aforesaid of the container and casing, to cause the nose of the plunger to become suitably embedded in the paste, the inward movement aforesaid of said container being progressively increased as the cosmetic paste is consumed.

7. A holder for cosmetics comprising, in combination, a casing open at both ends, a container for a cosmetic paste having open and closed ends, said container being insertable, closed end first, through one open end of the casing and .being slidable therethrough to a normally fully extended position, stop means associated respectively with the casing and the container which inter-y engage when the container is in the fully extended position to prevent the complete withdrawal of the container from the other end of the casing, and a nosed plunger for use in removing paste from the container and applying the same to the skin of the user, said applicator being insertable through the open end of the casing into the container with its nose contactable with the opposing face of the cosmetic paste within the container, said container being displaceable inwardly to telescope with the casing and enable the nose of the plunger to be suitably embedded in the paste, the inward movement aforesaid of said container being progressively increased as the cosmetic paste is consumed until in the fully inward position of the container, its closed end is contactable by the nose of the plunger, thereby enabling the removal of paste from the bottom of the container.

8. A holder for cosmetics comprising, in combination, a casing open at both ends, a container for a cosmetic paste having open and closed ends, said container lbeing insertable, closed end first, through one open end of the casing and being slidable therethrough to a normally fully extended position, stop means at the other end of the casing and the open end 0f the container which interengage when the container is in the normal fully extended position to prevent the complete withdrawal of the container from the other end of the casing, a nosed plunger for use in removing paste from the container. and applying the same to the skin of the user, said plunger being insertable through the said one open end of the casing into the container with its nose contactable with the opposing face of the cosmetic paste within the container, said container being slidably displaceable inwardly to telescope with the casing to enable the nose of the plunger to be suitably embedded in the paste, the inward movement aforesaid of said container being progressively increased as the cosmetic paste is consumed until 'in the fully inward position of the container its 'closed end is contactable by the nose of the plunger, thereby enabling the removal of the paste from the bottom of the container, and locking means on said plunger for engaging the one end of the casing to retain the plunger Within `the casing when not in use, said means being arranged to form a closure for the said one open end of the casing.

' CHARLES GRAY ROSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent;

Number Number 8 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date i j Deakers et al Apr. 1, 1941 Tipton Apr. 26, 1927 Lesquendieu Sept. 27, 1927 Bunnel Apr. 17, 1928 Baquey Dec. 30, 1930 Julius Aug. 29, 1939 Deakers July 17, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Apr. 15, 1930 

